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Station Characteristics 2009-01-05/-147256320
GAW ID ALT Alert (Canada)
station status established 1986 / full operation Global station in WMO RA IV - North/Central America
time zone UTC-5 82.45000°N 62.51667°W (210 m a.s.l.)
climate zone ET (Tundra climate)
other affiliations CAPMoN, NOAA-ESRL/CCG, NOAA-ESRL/AERO(ALT), NDACC
description In 1986, the Alert Background Air Pollution Monitoring Network (BAPMoN) Observatory was opened as Canada's first research station for the continuous monitoring of background concentrations of trace gases and aerosols. Currently, the Dr. Neil Trivett Global Atmosphere Watch Observatory at Alert, NU is the most northerly site in the GAW Network. It is located on the northeastern tip of Ellesmere Island in Nunavut, Canada at 82º28'N and 62º30'W, far removed from the major industrial regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Alert is also the site of a military station (CFS Alert) staffed with about 60 personnel, and an Environment Canada Upper Air Weather Station. The Alert GAW Observatory is approximately 400 m2 in size and is situated 210 m above sea level and 6 km SSW of CFS Alert. It is a key site for Arctic atmospheric process studies, which have led to the discovery of such phenomena as Arctic haze, important chemical interactions of pollutants with snow surfaces, and rapid changes in the chemical composition of the atmospheric boundary layer during polar sunrise. The program at Alert has grown substantially since its inception. A team of Canadian scientists, working in partnership with international scientists, maintains the extensive measurement program at Alert. The measurement and research of trace atmospheric constituents thought to have an impact on climate remains a primary function for this station. Picture of Alert facility

Measurement Program
type parameter method contributor start end details
Aerosol Carbonaceous/organic material (coarse), PM10 Thermo-optical analyzer (Sunset Labs) 2005-04-01
Hemispheric backscattering coefficient Nephelometry, integrating EC 2004-03-18
Light absorption coefficient Filter + light attenuation (aethalometer) EC 1989-01-01
Light absorption coefficient Light absorption photometry EC 1998-01-01
Light absorption coefficient Light absorption photometry EC 2005-09-16
Light scattering coefficient Nephelometry, integrating EC 2004-03-18
Major inorganic components (coarse) Filter sampling + extraction + IC EC 1980-01-01
Mass concentration (total aerosol) or Mass TSP Filter sampling + gravimetry EC 1998-01-01
Number concentration Condensation particle counter (CPC) NOAA-ESRL-GMD 2004-03-18
Other chemical components (coarse) Filter sampling + extraction + other EC 1980-01-01
Vertical distribution of properties Aerosol backscatter sonde U Wyoming 1989-01-09 1993-01-25
Greenhouse Gas C2Cl3F3 (1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane, CFC-113) ## Flask sampling NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1977-01-01 2009-04-01
C2H3Cl2F (1,1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane, HCFC-141b) ## Flask sampling NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1992-01-20 2009-04-01
C2H3ClF2 (1-chloro-1,1-difluoroethane, HCFC-142b) ## Flask sampling NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1992-01-20 2009-04-01
CBrClF2 (Halon 1211) GC-MS NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1992-01-20 2008-07-16
CBrF3 (Halon 1301) GC-ECD NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1991-07-13 2006-12-01
CCl2F2 (dichlorodifluoromethane, CFC-12) ## Flask sampling NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1977-01-01 2009-04-01
CCl3F (trichlorofluoromethane, CFC-11) ## Flask sampling NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1977-01-01 2009-04-01
CCl4 ## Flask sampling NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1977-01-01 2003-12-01
CH2F4 (1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, HFC-134a) GC-MS NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1994-12-08 2009-03-26
CH3CCl3 (1,1,1-trichloroethane) ## Flask sampling NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1991-11-15 2008-06-26
CH4 ## Flask sampling NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1985-06-01 2008-12-31
CH4 GC-FID EC 1988-01-01 2008-12-31
CH4 ## Flask sampling CSIRO 1991-04-01 2008-12-26
CH4 GC-FID UHEI-IUP 2003-01-01
CH4 ## Flask sampling EC 1999-10-28 2005-12-28
CHClF2 (difluoromethane, HCFC-22) ## Flask sampling NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1992-01-20 2009-04-01
CO2 ## Flask sampling NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1985-06-01 2008-12-31
CO2 ## Flask sampling EC 1975-07-01 2005-12-28
CO2 Non-dispersive IR (NDIR) EC 1988-01-01 2008-12-31
CO2 ## Flask sampling CSIRO 1991-04-23 2008-12-26
CO2 Non-dispersive IR (NDIR) 2007-08-16
CO2 [C-13] Mass Spectrometry (MS) [general] CSIRO 1990-01-01 2008-06-26
CO2 [C-13] ## Flask sampling NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1992-04-01 2007-12-26
CO2 [O-18] ## Flask sampling NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1992-04-01 2007-12-26
N2O ## Flask sampling CSIRO 1991-04-23 2008-12-26
N2O ## Flask sampling UHEI-IUP 1995-01-01
N2O ## Flask sampling NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1988-02-01 2004-03-01
N2O ## Flask sampling NOAA-ESRL-GMD 2000-01-01
N2O ## Flask sampling EC 1999-11-04 2005-12-28
SF6 ## Flask sampling EC 2001-08-31 2005-12-28
SF6 ## Flask sampling NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1995-01-01 2005-08-11
Meteo Humidity Hygrometer EC 1988-01-01
Pressure Barometer/Pressure sensor EC 1985-01-01
Temperature Thermometer/-element EC 1985-01-01
Trajectories EC 1988-01-01
Trajectories FLEXTRA Empa 2005-01-01
Wind direction Wind vane EC 1985-01-01
Wind speed Anemometer EC 1985-01-01
Ozone Surface ozone UV photometry [general] 1992-01-01
Total column ozone Dobson MSC 1957-07-04 1958-11-30
Total column ozone Brewer MSC 2004-01-01 2007-08-30
Total column ozone Brewer MSC 1987-10-28 2007-08-31
Vertical ozone profile ## Sonde EC 1996-03-15 2008-12-05
Vertical ozone profile ECC Sonde MSC 1987-12-05 2008-12-31
Radiation Global solar radiation Eppley pyranometer EC 1964-01-01 2000-12-31
UV Spectral Brewer MSC 1995-06-09 2006-10-27
Radio Nuclide CO2 [C-14] Mass Spectrometry (MS) [general] UHEI-IUP 1989-01-01
Radon [Rn-222] Filter sampling + alpha counting UHEI-IUP 1989-01-01
Reactive Gas C2Cl4 ## Flask sampling NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1993-11-17 1997-12-26
CH2Cl2 (dichloromethane) ## Flask sampling NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1994-05-11 1997-06-20
CH3Br (methylbromide) GC-MS NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1992-11-28 2009-04-01
CO ## Flask sampling NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1990-10-05 2009-12-30
CO ## Flask sampling CSIRO 1991-04-23 2008-12-26
CO GC-FID EC 1998-01-01 2008-12-31
H2 ## Flask sampling CSIRO 1991-04-23 2008-12-26
H2 ## Flask sampling NOAA-ESRL-GMD 1990-10-05 2005-06-29
NMHC ## Flask sampling INSTAAR 2005-09-01

Contact Person(s)
name Colin Allison
address CSIRO Division of Marine and Atmospheric Research - Aspendale
Private Bag 1
Aspendale, VIC 3195
Australia
2009-12-15/0
phone
fax
mailto Colin.Allison@csiro.au
url
GAW function
station function Measurement leader [Greenhouse Gas: CO2 [C-13]]

name Mr. Thomas J. Conway
address NOAA/ESRL/GMD
325 Broadway
Boulder, CO 80305
United States
2009-05-12/1689207423
phone
fax
mailto thomas.j.conway@noaa.gov
url
GAW function
station function Measurement leader [Greenhouse Gas: CO2]

name Mr. Jonathon Davies
address Experimental Studies Division Meteorological Service of Canada
4905 Dufferin St.
Downsview, Ontario M3H 5T4
Canada
2004-05-18/1689207423
phone +1 (416) 739 42 10
fax +1 (416) 739 42 81
mailto jonathon.davies@ec.gc.ca
url
GAW function
station function Measurement leader [Ozone: Vertical ozone profile]

name Dr. Edward J. Dlugokencky
address NOAA-ERSL-GMD
325 Broadway
Boulder, CO 80305
United States
2009-05-12/1689207423
phone +1 303-497-6228
fax +1 303-497-6290
mailto ed.dlugokencky@noaa.gov
url
GAW function
station function Measurement leader [Greenhouse Gas: CH4]

name Dr. James W. Elkins
address National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
325 Broadway
Boulder, CO 80305
United States
2008-05-26/-147256505
phone +1 (303) 497 62 24
fax +1 (303) 497 62 90
mailto james.w.elkins@noaa.gov
url
GAW function GAW CCL (Reference Scale)
station function Measurement leader [Greenhouse Gas: C2Cl3F3 (1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane, CFC-113), Greenhouse Gas: C2H3Cl2F (1,1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane, HCFC-141b), Greenhouse Gas: C2H3ClF2 (1-chloro-1,1-difluoroethane, HCFC-142b), Greenhouse Gas: CBrClF2 (Halon 1211), Greenhouse Gas: CBrF3 (Halon 1301), Greenhouse Gas: CCl2F2 (dichlorodifluoromethane, CFC-12), Greenhouse Gas: CCl3F (trichlorofluoromethane, CFC-11), Greenhouse Gas: CCl4, Greenhouse Gas: CH2F4 (1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, HFC-134a), Greenhouse Gas: CH3CCl3 (1,1,1-trichloroethane), Greenhouse Gas: CHClF2 (difluoromethane, HCFC-22), Greenhouse Gas: N2O, Greenhouse Gas: N2O, Greenhouse Gas: SF6, Reactive Gas: C2Cl4, Reactive Gas: CH2Cl2 (dichloromethane), Reactive Gas: CH3Br (methylbromide)]

name Mr. Tom Grajnar
address Experimental Studies Division Meteorological Service of Canada
4905 Dufferin St.
Downsview, Ontario M3H 5T4
Canada
2001-06-12/jkl
phone +1 (416) 739 46 33
fax +1 (416) 739 42 81
mailto tom.grajnar@ec.gc.ca
url
GAW function
station function Measurement leader [Ozone: Total column ozone, Radiation: UV Spectral]

name Mr. Detlev Helmig
address Associate Research Professor Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) University of Colorado
1560 30th Street
Boulder, CO 80309-0450
United States
2009-02-16/-147256320
phone +1 (303) 492-2509
fax
mailto detlev@instaar.colorado.edu
url
GAW function
station function Measurement leader [Reactive Gas: NMHC]

name Dr. Lin Huang
address Measurement and Analysis Research Division Meteorological Service of Canada
4905 Dufferin St.
Downsview, Ontario M3H 5T4
Canada
2005-12-21/1689207423
phone +1 (416) 739 58 21
fax
mailto lin.huang@ec.gc.ca
url
GAW function
station function Measurement leader [Aerosol: Carbonaceous/organic material (coarse), PM10]

name Mr. Paul Krummel
address CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research
PMB No. 1
Aspendale, Victoria 3195
Australia
2009-08-31/0
phone +61392394568
fax +61392394444
mailto paul.krummel@csiro.au
url
GAW function SAG member
station function Measurement leader [Greenhouse Gas: CH4, Greenhouse Gas: CO2, Greenhouse Gas: N2O, Reactive Gas: CO, Reactive Gas: H2]

name Dr. Ray Langenfelds
address CSIRO

Aspendale
Australia
2006-06-08/0
phone
fax
mailto ray.langenfelds@csiro.au
url
GAW function
station function

name Dr. Ingeborg Levin
address Institut für Umweltphysisk Universität Heidelberg
Im Neuenheimer Feld 229
D-69120 Heidelberg
Germany
2002-01-10/0
phone +49 6221 546 330
fax +49 6221 546 405
mailto ingeborg.levin@iup.uni-heidelberg.de
url www.iup.uni-heidelberg.de
GAW function
station function Measurement leader [Greenhouse Gas: CH4, Greenhouse Gas: N2O, Radio Nuclide: CO2 [C-14], Radio Nuclide: Radon [Rn-222]]

name Dr. Bruce McArthur
address Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada Manager, Experimental Studies Section
4905 Dufferin Street
Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4
Canada
2009-05-27/2141913726
phone + 416 739-4464
fax + 416 739-4281
mailto bruce.mcarthur@ec.gc.ca
url
GAW function
station function Measurement leader [Radiation: Global solar radiation]

name Dr. Paul C. Novelli
address NOAA-ESRL-GMD
325 Broadway
Boulder, CO 80305
United States
2009-05-12/1689207423
phone +1 303-497-6774
fax +1 303-497-6290
mailto paul.c.novelli@noaa.gov
url
GAW function
station function Measurement leader [Reactive Gas: CO, Reactive Gas: H2]

name Dr. John A. Ogren
address NOAA ESRL GMD
325 Broadway
Boulder, CO 80305
United States
2009-05-07/0
phone +1 (303) 497 6210
fax +1 (303) 497-5590
mailto John.A.Ogren@noaa.gov
url
GAW function SAG member
station function Measurement leader [Aerosol: Number concentration]

name Mr. Andrew Platt
address Meteorological Service of Canada


Canada
2008-12-02/-147256320
phone
fax
mailto Andrew.Platt@ec.gc.ca
url
GAW function
station function Primary station contact, Measurement leader [Meteo: Humidity, Meteo: Pressure, Meteo: Temperature, Meteo: Wind direction, Meteo: Wind speed]

name Sangeeta Sharma
address Climate Chemistry Measurements Research, Environment Canada
4905 Dufferin Street
Downsview, Ontario M3H 5T4
Canada
2009-08-05/0
phone +1 (416) 739 58 20
fax +1 (416) 739 57 04
mailto sangeeta.sharma@ec.gc.ca
url
GAW function
station function Measurement leader [Aerosol: Hemispheric backscattering coefficient, Aerosol: Light absorption coefficient, Aerosol: Light absorption coefficient, Aerosol: Light absorption coefficient, Aerosol: Light scattering coefficient, Aerosol: Major inorganic components (coarse), Aerosol: Mass concentration (total aerosol) or Mass TSP, Aerosol: Other chemical components (coarse)]

name Mr. Bruce Vaughn
address University of Colorado Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR)
Campus box 450
Boulder, CO 80309-0450
United States
2006-06-12/0
phone +1-303-492-7985
fax +1-303-492-6388
mailto bruce.vaughn@colorado.edu
url
GAW function
station function Measurement leader [Greenhouse Gas: CO2 [C-13], Greenhouse Gas: CO2 [O-18]]

name Mr. Doug Worthy
address Environment Canada, Climate Research Division
4905 Dufferin Street
Downsview, Ontario M3H 5T4
Canada
2009-06-25/0
phone +1 (416) 739 46 83
fax +1 (416) 739 46 64
mailto doug.worthy@ec.gc.ca
url http://www.msc-smc.ec.gc.ca/aqrb/arqm_page_worthy_e.cfm
GAW function
station function Measurement leader [Greenhouse Gas: CH4, Greenhouse Gas: CH4, Greenhouse Gas: CO2, Greenhouse Gas: CO2, Greenhouse Gas: CO2, Greenhouse Gas: N2O, Greenhouse Gas: SF6, Meteo: Trajectories, Reactive Gas: CO]

name Yoko Yokouchi
address National Institute for Environmental Studies
16-2 Onogawa
Tsukuba, Ibaraki
Japan
2004-06-23/1689207423
phone
fax
mailto yokouchi@nies.go.jp
url
GAW function
station function


References
Quinn, P. K., et al. (2007), Arctic haze: current trends and knowledge gaps, Tellus Series B-Chemical and Physical Meteorology, 59, 99-114
Tomasi, C., et al. (2007), Aerosols in polar regions: A historical overview based on optical depth and in situ observations, Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, 112
Sharma, S., et al. (2006), Variations and sources of the equivalent black carbon in the high Arctic revealed by long-term observations at Alert and Barrow: 1989-2003, Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, 111
Stohl, A., et al. (2006), Pan-Arctic enhancements of light absorbing aerosol concentrations due to North American boreal forest fires during summer 2004, Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, 111
Zellweger, Christoph, et al. (2004), System and Performance Audit of Surface Ozone Carbon Monoxide and Methane at the Global GAW Station Alert, Canada, April 2004, WCC-Empa Report 04/2, gaw.empa.ch/audits/ALT_2004.pdf
CHAN, Y.H. and WONG, CS (1990), Long-term changes in amplitudes of atmospheric CO2 concentrations at Ocean Station P and Alert, Canada, Tellus B, 42, 330--341
Higuchi, K. and Daggupaty, SM (1985), On variability of atmospheric co2 at station Alert, Atmospheric Environment (1967), 19, 2039--2044
 
 
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